TWO W&L SWIMMERS INVITED TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

LEXINGTON, Va. --Washington and Lee senior Eric Ritter (Birmingham, Ala./Mountain Brook) and freshman Michael Ginder (Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal) will represent the Generals at the 2004 NCAA Swimming Championships. The championships will be hosted by Principia College in St. Peters, Mo., on March 18-20.

Ritter, a three-time All-America selection, qualified in the 100- and 200-Back and will also compete in the 50 Free. Ginder qualified in the 100- and 200-Free and will also swim the 500 Free.

Ritter is seeded eighth in the 100 Back and qualified against Marymount on Jan. 31, when he led off the 400 Medley Relay with a pool-record and NCAA "A" cut time of 51.38. He swam his fastest 200 Back of the year at the Bluegrass Mountain Conference (BMC) Championships after claiming top honors in the event with a pool-record, meet-record and NCAA “B” cut time of 1:52.92. He is seeded 16th in the 200-Back.

Ritter's top 50 Free time of the season was a 21.63 showing at the BMC Championships.

Ginder's first trip to the national championships comes after an impressive inaugural campaign with the Generals. He is seeded seventh in the 200 Free after swimming a school-record and NCAA “B” cut time of 1:41.61 at the BMC Championships. His top 100 Free clocking of the year ties Ginder for a 10th-seed and also came at the BMC Championships when he swam an NCAA “B” cut time of 46.42.

Ginder's top 500 Free time was a team-leading 4:46.64, recorded at the Indiana (Pa.) Last Chance meet on Feb. 28.

-- GENERALS --